What if every subject that we think about can have explicit representations in our computers?

Monthly Archives: May 2014

Home automation became a hot topic again. We have more sensors, automation devices, more connectivity options, and better managing apps.

Legacy approach to home automation typically includes using several mobile controlling apps each dedicated to a specific device. This approach is not sustainable with the increasing number of devices. It does not provide optimal user experience: we cannot see the “big picture” – status of a “home” at any moment of time. We are forced to jump between various controlling apps with different user interfaces. There is no simple way to see correlation between device performance. Optimization, predictive modelling are limited by device scope.

More advanced approach includes the idea of a “home automation hub”. In this case, user can have only one app which controls all home automation devices. Hub unifies various physical connectivity protocols, creates integrated “big picture”, allows advanced optimization. Many consumers will be probably quite happy with this level of automation and integration (at least for now).

As the natural next step, I see potential for integration of “home automation hub” into Intelligent Personal Assistants. “Home” is an important concern for many, but not the only one. The same type of consolidation is going on in other areas. We may soon deal with “personal health hub”, “personal finance hub”, “personal investment hub”, “car hub”, “transportation hub”, “travel hub” etc. Each of these hubs will be active, monitoring current situation, identifying possible/recommended actions, “fighting” for our attention. Some mediation will be required and this is one of the main roles that can be played by Intelligent Personal Assistants: optimization of user experience based on integrated view of highly automated world.